The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration has sold two ships for recycling to Esco Ltd. of Brownsville, Texas for a total of $171,452.
Resolute, a partial container/breakbulk ship built in 1980, brought a purchase price of $90,726. Resolute is currently moored at the James River Reserve Fleet site in Newport News, Va. Gulf Farmer, a breakbulk cargo ship built in 1964, brought a purchase price of $80,726. Gulf Farmer is at the Beaumont Reserve Fleet site in Texas.
Both ships, which are to leave their respective fleet sites within 30 days, are to be recycled, which is the most common method of ship disposal used by the Maritime Administration. When a ship is recycled the recycler often salvages and sells metal and other materials. Because the worldwide market for such materials fluctuates rapidly and often, the Maritime Administration finds the best bargain for the taxpayer by offering the ships for sale first, and if there are no buyers, paying for their disposal.
The Maritime Administration stores ships at three National Defense Reserve Fleet sites: the James River site, the Beaumont Reserve Fleet in Texas, and the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in California.